After the Deluge
by SassyJazz
Summary: Follows the events after "the dearly beloved". Ryan is in hospital, Marissa is depressed, and Seth and Summer try to pick up the pieces. Chapter 4: "Reunion" added! Enjoy my story!
1. Afterthought

Ryan woke up to the sights of a white room, dim lights, and the constant sound of a beep. He soon realised where he was. His head felt like a brick, her eyes barely had the strength to focus. But already the memory was there. He couldn't remember seeing anything, but he couldn't get the sound of the explosion out of his mind. He remembered seeing his brother lying limp on the floor, blooding trickling from his back, and Marissa sitting frozen on the floor. That's all he remembered before he blacked out.

But now he was aware again, as he lay silently in the hospital. However, his first thoughts were not whether his brother was dead, but if Marissa was alright. He understood. He would have killed Trey too if he had the chance. But Ryan knew in his heart that Marissa, as much as she held hatred for his brother, she would not want him to die. She did it for him.

The problem was, he knew Marissa too well. She would never forgive herself. She'd punish herself in fact. Whether by the Vodka bottle all the pills, Marissa would find anyway to escape. These thoughts circulated through Ryan's head for almost an hour, until he heard the familiar sound of Sandy's voice approaching. He was talking to someone, the nurse he suspected.

"How is he?" Sandy asked, out of viewing range.

"He's pretty good. He has a severe concussion and had to get several stitches in his face, but with rest he will recover fine," came the answer of a woman.

"And, uh, his brother?" Sandy almost whispered.

There came a deep sigh from the woman. "He's not so good, I'm afraid. Thankfully, the bullet missed some crucial organs and arteries, but Mr Atwood lost a lot of blood. He is still in intensive care, but the doctors are hoping he will pull through."

Sandy breathed deeply, "He just doesn't deserve this. Ryan, I mean," he sounded full of remorse, "He was doing so well. Perfect grades, he was back with his girlfriend. He was happy, for one of the only times in his life. Then Trey re-entered his life and, well I don't' know, but it's like he gave the missing link to his past. Now this, it's…" he paused, "It shouldn't happen to a kid."

The woman replied, "I understand, Mr Cohen. But Ryan has been through a lot in the past, from what I can gather. Everything will work itself out."

Ryan listened to this and sighed. The woman was right, he would get through it, but it was Marissa he was worried about.


	2. First Impressions

Marissa lay inside her room, curled up on the floor, the tears falling like the rain. She had not slept, or eaten for over a day. But her weariness and hunger was overwhelmed by her guilt and sorrow. She had never felt so lost. She cried and cried. All night, she had been at the police station, with the officers drilling her over and over to tell them what happened. She was exhausted. However was Ryan going to forgive her this time? I mean, there was Luke, then Tijuana, then Oliver, then Theresa… so much had come between them, but this? She needed something to help her escape. Anything. Then she remembered… the Vodka bottle that she stashed in the bottom drawer. Marissa hesitated, the tears still running down her face. She got up slowly, and tenderly stroked the handles of the drawer. Anything. She opened it slowly and moved some old clothes where she exposed the bottle. She looked at it and began to unscrew the bottle. She tilted it to her mouth and…

"Kiddo?" Jimmy knocked lightly on the door, "May I come in?"

Hastily Marissa put the bottle away. "Yep." Her voice quivered.

Jimmy entered her room and looked at her with the utmost sadness in his eyes, "How are you holding up?"

Marissa didn't answer. The redness in her eyes spoke for themselves.

"I know," her dad said softly, "I know how you feel. Exactly. Lost.

Marissa didn't nod, but somehow she knew her dad heard her thoughts loud and clear, "When I lost all that money last year, I felt just like you do right now. I hurt a lot of people. Perhaps not in the same way, but still very much hurt them."

Marissa lay her head on his shoulder.

"But the way I got through it was talking to the people I hurt."

Marissa looked up, horrified. "You want me to see Ryan?"

Jimmy nodded.

"But… but after what I did! He would never want to…"

"Ryan will understand," Jimmy promised. "He loves you."

Marissa looked at herself in the mirror. She looked, and felt horrible, but inside she knew her dad was right. She wiped away her final tears, and turned back to face her dad. "Talk to him?" she repeated, this time with more determination in her voice.

"Talk to him," said Jimmy. They hugged each other tightly.


	3. Together

Ryan was lying in his bed, still thinking. Sandy had been in earlier, telling him that Trey had been moved from the Emergency Ward. "A little worse for wear, but he'll pull through."

In some ways Ryan was relieved, after all, he is his brother. But after all that Trey had done, his anger had not diminished. The stealing, the drugs he could handle, but hurting Marissa? Even his near-death wasn't enough to drain out his hatred.

He thought solely about Marissa, hoping she was alright.

Marissa stood outside Ryan's room not making a sound. She had been standing there for nearly half an hour, trying to build up the strength to see his face. She sat there, frozen and terrified. She had seen Sandy at the hospital's entrance. He had been full of nothing but sympathy and he too encouraged her move to talk to Ryan.

Still though, she could not bear to face him. She looked through her bag for her watch, it was right down the bottom. She looked deeper, but at that moment, the bag slipped from her grasp. The bag dropped to the ground, making a loud thump and causing everything to fall out. "Damn!" Marissa groaned

Ryan heard. And looked up, his spirits lifting. "Marissa?"

Marissa stopped immediately. Her heart began to pound.

"Is that you?"

Marissa sighed. No point in hiding anymore. She gathered her bag back together and walked into the room. She stopped at the doorway. A fresh lump arose in her throat.

They both looked at each other for a long time, neither of them saying a word. By now the tears were falling again from her eyes. Finally, Marissa walked gingerly towards Ryan and sat on a chair in front of him. She looked down sadly, her hands in her lap. Suddenly Marissa felt Ryan's hand in her own. He squeezed hard.

Marissa's heart skipped a beat and she looked at him again. "I'm sorry. Sorry for everything!" she sobbed, "If only I'd told you earlier, none of this would ever have happened."

"I know," Ryan said softly.

"I didn't want you to get hurt, or Trey! But when I saw him choking you like that… I thought he was going to kill you. It was either you or him.

"I know," he stroked her hair as Marissa cried into his chest. He let her cry for nearly five minutes.

"I love you," Ryan said when she looked up again. "Nothing will change that."

Marissa still cried, "But Trey, he-"

"Trey is my past. I love him, and I always will. But you're the one I will stand by. Together."

She kissed his hand, "I feared you would never look at my face again."

Ryan smiled weakly, "Together."


	4. Reunion

Hours had past. Marissa lay fast asleep, hunched over Ryan's bed and holding his hand limply. Ryan was also dozing peacefully when Seth and Summer crept in. At long last Sandy had permitted Seth to see his best friend, now that Ryan was in recovery.

"Aw, look at them!" Summer said, as she lay her head on Seth's shoulder, "Looks like they worked things out."

"What a relief they didn't break up again! They'd start catching up to us," Seth laughed softly.

"Cohen!" Summer elbowed him in the stomach.

Seth groaned, too loud, and Ryan came to. He looked down at Marissa, still sleeping soundly. He looked up at his friends and smiled. "Hey!" he said quietly.

"How are you feeling?" Summer asked.

"Oh you know… getting there."

Seth and Ryan exchanged sincere glances. Ryan noticed immediately that the usual glow to Seth's manner had diminished. He looked more depressed than Ryan could ever recall.

"So, the house is pretty lonely with only two people living in it," Seth said sadly.

"I know, man," Ryan answered quietly, "I'll be home soon…"

Seth looked down at his feet.

"… So will your Mom."

Seth managed to give a weak grin, "Thanks."

Summer looked around at Seth worriedly and then back at Ryan. "Seth, I'm feeling parched! Be a good boyfriend and buy me a Water!" she ordered in her usual assertive manner.

"Yes, ma'am," Seth obliged, and turned to leave. He turned to Ryan, "Don't die before I get back!"

Ryan smiled, "Yeah, man."

Summer and Ryan looked at each other awkwardly. They had never really many one-on-ones, the two of them. Ryan guessed at once that Summer had something serious to say.

Summer gestured at Marissa, " 'she ok?"

Ryan looked down at her, "Well, she's had better weekends, that's for sure. But we'll be ok."

Summer smiled, "You don't know how relieved I am to hear that from you!"

They exchanged grins. Then Ryan's manner changed, "Seth's not too good though, is he?"

Summer looked away sadly, "No, he's not. He feels responsible for all this. He thought it was for the best for you to know about… you know," her voice quivered at the thought of Marissa and Trey. "He's blaming himself for the shooting. Then of course there's his Mom."

"Yeah, I get it," Ryan nodded, "It's the way I felt when Trey got landed in jail before I came here…" then he paused as a memory of Trey and him together flashed through his mind. Suddenly, instead of hatred, he felt sorrow for his brother.

Summer didn't notice Ryan's sudden behaviour and continued, "I mean, he's trying to be himself, but I can see through it. I mean there's only so much the comic books and Captain Oats can do to help." Summer shook her head and smiled absentmindedly.

"Uh? Yeah, I know," Ryan pulled out of his thoughts, "Well, hopefully I'll be home soon, so I'll be able to help him through."

"I-" Summer was about to add comment when she heard Seth approaching the room. Seth entered the room with Summer's water, "Here, my dearest!"

"Took you long enough, Cohen!" joked Summer, returning to her usual tone again.

At that, Marissa began to rouse. Ryan felt the squeeze of his hand, which she was still holding. She opened her eyes wearily. They were swollen and red, but to Ryan she still looked beautiful. He smiled lovingly at her. "Hey!"

"Coop!" Summer shrieked. Innately the two girls embraced tightly. When Summer pulled away there were tears in her eyes. The two hadn't had a chance to speak since the accident.

The rest of the afternoon the four spent laughing and joking as if nothing had ever happened, but deep down, all of them knew this wasn't going to last…


End file.
